Artificial arm



6 Shets-Sheet l .7m/en for A. F2 CARMAQK ARTIFICIAL ARM Filed Jan. 7, 1958 May 9, 193% mw QQ Q vwl@ 9 s, uw @l A. F. CARMACK ARTIFICIAL ARM May 9, 1939.

6 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1938 .Arzh u rf? Carmczck,

(Ittorncg May 9, 1939 K A. F. CARM/IGK 2,157,747

ARTIFICIAL ARM Filed Jan. 7, 1938 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Bnoentor Arzhur Carmack,

A. F. CARMACK ARTIFICIAL ARM May 9, 1939.

Filed Jan. '7, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. k9.

:inventor ,Arz ur 2T. C@ 7fmcLc/,

May 9, 1939. A, F CAR'MACK 2,157,747-

AHTIFICIAL ARM Filed Jan. 7, 1938 e smeris-sheet 5 :inventor Arhurlf Carmczck,

May 9, 1939- A. F. cARMAcK 2,157,747

l ARTIFICIAL ARM Filed Jan. 7, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Ihwentor Amma F carnage/K,

y (Ittorneg.

s PATENT oFFlc ARTIFICIAL ARM Arthur F. Carmack, Clarksville, Iowa, assignor of one-half to William A. Hendry, Waterloo, v Iowa.

Application January 7, 1938, Serial No. 183,907.

6 Claims. (Cl. 3-12) My invention `relates to improvements in artldevice, showing its like construction to either of cial arms, and the object of my invention is to the built-up digits of the device of Fig. 4. Fig. provide a perfected` type of device of this class, 6 is a plan view of oneof the padding disks used which will be operable easily and effectively, adon said digits. Fig. 7 is an inner side elevation, justably and overcome numerous defects in the showing the upper arm and lower arm members 5 devices of the prior art., ilexed relative to each other, and also showing One especial object of my improvements is to releasable locking means upon the lower member furnish adjustable pendulous means in my device setto lock the lower member in an adjusted rockforoperating the hand or grasping elements able position relative to the upper member. Fig.

10 thereof effectively and reactively. 8 is a reduced scale diagram of certain coacting lo Another important feature is to provide adfeatures of my invention with other elements rejustably connected arm members and having conmoved or broken away. Fig. 9 is a front view of trollable Aconnecting means therebetween, resllmy apparatus as fitted operatively upon the body iently Connectedgand operable, of a wearer, with parts of the artificial arm re- Another improvement is to supply releasable moved. Fig. l0 is a similar view, showing the in- 15 locking andadjustable means between the arm stallation of the apparatus to the rearwof the members, wearer. Fig. 1l is a three quarters frontal view Another object of my improvements is the proof the wearer with the apparatus thereon, the vision of efcient resiliently controlled means for 10We1 Dart 0f the artificial arm extended, and

wrist movements .between the lower arm and the FISS- 12 and 13 are like VeWS, Showing Said 10We1' UNITED -s'lAr grasping ,termina members, arm part flexed and locked in that position. 20

Another object of my improvements is to sup- In Fig. l is shown the forwardly cupped hollow ply an actuating mechanism for closing the arm member' 4|, which may have a flexible outer grasping members, and for releasing them to be Wrapping V"il Secured thereupon. and receiving resiliently spread to opened positions, adjustably. into the upper pari? 0f the member the Stump 0f 25 Another object of my improvements is to supthe wearers left arm 89 with its end folded covply an4 improved constructionof lboth of the eng Sleeve v38- The member 4| iS SllSpenSVelY grasping members, in their mounting for operahung by a Strap 49 leeVed thrugll Staples theretion, and in their padding means, 0n and with the upper portion of the strap se- Other objects of my improvements will be recured to an apertured wider strap member 83 30 ferred to hereinafter, as described and claimed. SeCllled adjuStably t0 a buckle 83a 0n a hOuSing I have accomplished the above improvements Dart 9 mOIlnted 0n the left Shoulder. bythe means and mechanism which are herein- A Similar Strap 49a 21S ShOWH in Fig- 10, iS adafter described, claimed, and shown in the acjustably buckled at its upper end to the member companying drawings, it being understood that 9 and carried down through like loops 50 along 35 various minor improvements may be made therethe Ulmer arm member alOlig the ODPOSte Side in without departing from my invention or the thereof. It may be noted here that a looped scope of the claims. strap 85 vis carried under the arm as shown in In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is an as- Figs. 10 and l2 and end connected to the member semblage of the principal mechanical elements of 9 to retain the upper member 4l in place on the 40 the invention as operatively assembled with the body of the wearer. arm members and grasping parts, certain of Referring to Fig. 3, 28 denotes swivel arms exwhich are longitudinally sectioned or broken tending in parallel downwardly from a cross conawayand with the hand or grasping elements nection 28a, the. latter being placed in contact shown in closed or grasping position. Fig. 2 is a with the closed end of the upper arm part 4i and 45 view of several of said elements as disassembled secured thereto by a screw dla having e r10r1 and spread apart. Fig. 3 is a top plan of a porturnable head Mc to lock it in place, said screw tion of the upper arm element, the pulley mounttraversing said closed end and retained by a nut ed at the lower end thereof, and the crossed belt Mb in place. The Stem of the screw 4la has a elements iceved upon the pulley, with connecting threaded seat receiving a screw Md which trav 50 terminal means therefor. Fig. 4 is a perspective erSes a medial hole in a curvate Spring 44 t0 view of the digital grasping device alone, with lock the latter in place with its terminations bearone digit loop bared of its discoidal padding. ing against the inner transverse wall of the Fig. 5 is a similar perspective view of the other closed end of the upper arm member 6I. The

grasping member `or thumb part of the grasping lower end portions of the straps 49 and 49a are 55 carried inwardly past each other as shown in Fig. 3, the end of the strap 49 being secured to a stud 60 on the pulley 21, while the reversely dilrected strap end 49a is secured at 32 to a cross member 6I between fixed bars 33 secured to a medial arm 34 by a screw 33a, said arm being lixed on a cross-bar 35 secured by end screws 36 to oppositeparts of the wall of the lower arm member 40. As shown in Fig. 1, a strong coiled (spring 59 is secured at 59a to the cross member 65, the other end of the spring 58 being linked .to an end of a bracketed arm 51 secured at 21a to the hither swivel furcation 30 eccentric to the rcross-shaft 29 of the pulley 21. The lower arm member 4U may have a iiexible cover 31a. 'Ihe 'spring 59, when the arm member 40 is rocked in either of opposite directions becomes tensioned because of its eccentric connection to the hither furcation 30, and tends to return the member when the latter is turned adjustably and secured in a relative position to the upper arm member 4l as locked `by. a locking pin 46 to be described.

A tubular sleeve 48 best shown in Fig. 2 as reversed to its direction shown in Fig. 1, has an exterior flange 48a, and this ilange is seated within the lower end of the arm member and rockingly engages an interior flange 40a on a fixed sleeve 52 in the member 48.

Fig. 2 (and Fig. 1) show the sleeve 52 and th tubular member 48 as having their respective flanges coengaged so that the member 48 is turnable within the' sleeve 52. Referring to Figs.

" 1 and 2, it will be seen that the elements shown in Fig. 2 are separated from each other loosely, l,and arranged reversely to the coacting same elements as shown in Fig. 1, with the sleeve 52 `extending completely within the open lower end of the lower arm member 40, the said end of the sleeve 52 being secured rigidly within the member 48 by rivets. The inner end of the sleeve 52 has a number of holes 52a therearound, to receive said rivets. The sleeve 52 is inset within the member 48, which latter has a. terminal inner flange 40a engaging loosely the said exterior flange 48a of the sleeve 48. A cupped member 55 has its open upper end within the sleeve 48 and has within its cupped part a ball cupped member 62 with pintles 62a seated in the sleeve 48.

The ball 62 has a fixed diminished neck part 63 which is the rigid stem of a rectangular framing, in whose longitudinal aperture a wedge-shaped pulley is rockably or turnably seated on a pintle 64 traversing the pulley and its framing. Similar rock-bodies 66 and 'I2 have elongated aperiid tured seats traversed by said pintle. 'lhe pulley frame 63 is medially longitudinally slotted to mount therein said rock-bodies, and the latter have inclined inner edges to contact with opposite like inclined faces on the ends of the wedge pulley, whereby when the pulley is rocked the Wedge ends thereof are swung from the framing 63 in either of opposite directions.

Within and part of the ball member 62 are tubularly socketed parts opposite each other laterally at 55a opening toward the interior of the arm member 40. A pair of like but reversed bar springs 39 have their outer ends seated loosely ln the bores of the parts 55a, and their opposite ends are fastened non-turnably to the inner wall of the member 40 by bolts. It will be seen that when the frame 63 is rocked in the casing 55 at its pintles, its scope of rocking movements is restricted resiliently by the pair of spring members 39 when under torsion, and whereby the elements 55, 62 and 48 possess a wrist movement upon the arm member 4U in the nature of a universaljoint except as limited in sidewise turning by the springs 39. The oppositely inclined wedge faces -at 66a of the rockable bodies 66 and 'l2 when the wedge pulley I9 is rocked in one direction by a pull upon a cord' II act upon the swingable bodies 66 and 'I2 to swing them to closed or grasping positions as long as the pull is maintained.

The cord I I being clamped at I9b to the pulley I8, itis carried farther around the pulley in a circumferential groove thereon until a side lug I9a (see Fig. 2) is stopped by the framing part 63. The part II a of the cord II is directed oppositely as shown in Fig. l and reeved upon a small pulley 2| controlled by a spring 22 in its loop with the return end part of the cord anchored at 5| to the inside wall of the arm member 40. As shown in the diagrammatic Figure 8 the cord II may have an inserted adjustable device being a strap I3 whose ends are secured in sockets' I4 and I5,

the strap being in two parts connected adjustably by means of a buckle I6, whereby the cord may be kept in lengthwise tension. 'I'he shoulder plate or member 9 is ilexlbly mountable upon the wearers shoulder at or about the location of the arm stump 99. A iiexible guard I has one extremity connected loosely to a part of the plate 9, as also shown in Fig. 9, by being carried around a pulley 8 on a strap 15 adjustably end connected by a buckle 'I6 mounted `on the plate 9. The cord II is carried thence as shown in Fig. 10, around the shoulder to the front and connected to the socket I4, and strap connection I3, thence through the lower arm member 48 and wrist devices 52, 55, passage 63a in the framing stem and reeved upon the wedge-pulley I9. A plate 3 is secured dependingly on the upper part of the guard I by a hanger body 8d. A pendulum member 2 positioned over the guard I has a threaded bearing thereon traversed by a screw 8a adjustably, and with its upper end seated to turn in a bea-ring on the plate 3, adjustably supporting the pendulum. The pendulum 2 has ranged along opposite sides engaging studs 2b (see Fig. 9) upon which a cylindrical ngerhold member 4 is loosely mounted on an apertured core part at 4a, and this core part may be at its under end tted removably upon either of the studs 2b or 5b. The outer end of the cord II is secured to a socket member 5a at a terminal thereof with the other end having a socket at 5, to permit adjusting of the cord II to the pendulum 2. Another cord In has one end secured to a member 6 having a socketed end adjustably secured vat 6a to the opposite side stud on the pendulum. The other end of the cord I0 is carried about the left shoulder of the wearer and connected to the belt device I3.

Referring to Fig. 7, means are provided for releasably locking the swivel member 38 adjustably on the upper arm member 4I. On one of the furcations 30 of the swivel member is a terminal medially perforated rib 30a. A tubular and partially longitudinally slotted bearing body 43 is iixed on this rib 30a with its bore alined with the perforation therein. A stem 43a is slidably rockably mounted in said bore and perforation, and has a terminal crank 46. A coiled spring 46a is end connected between said rib and said crank. A plurality of bearing apertures 4Ia are in the lower termination of the arm member 4I, either of which may receive an end of the stem 43a when the crank 46 is rocked to a medial position to permit the spring to propel the stem into the longitudinal slot and hold it in one of the holes 4Ia, when the lower arm member 40 is fili anni? rocked relativelyA to the member 4|. It will be understood, that this securing device is used when by operation of the bands 49 and 49a about the pulley 21 as the arm member 4| is swung by forward swinging of the wearers arm stumpg, the lower member 4|) is iiexed or not flexed upon said member 4|. This flexing movement is aided by recoil of the spring 59 acting by means of the connection lilk upon the swivel device 30.

Q The member 4|!k is released when the crank 46 isrocked back to allow the stem 43a. to be shifted` out of the slot and aperture 4 la in the arm member 4|, and the crank rocked laterally and held by the spring 4G.

Referring now to Figs. 1, and 4 to 6 inclusive, where the terminal grasping members 1| and i4 andetheir elements are shown, in Fig. 1 and also Fig. 4, the rocker element 66 has a finger-bar 61 mounted in sleeve parts B8 secured'thereon by means of screws 10, removably. Four similar finger elements or digits 69 are removably mounted onfthe linger-bar, and each consists of a wire loop with parallel parts from a terminal bend at 69a, the loop extremities fixed to the ngerbar and closely spaced apart, all of the digits except the thumb digit 14 having a curvate bend in one direction. These digits have removable padding disks mounted thereon as shown at 1|. The digits 1| have each a pair of perforations to seat therethrough the pairs of Wires 69, the loops 69a closing the outer ends of the disks. Fig. 5 shows a similarly constructed thumb member 14 with stem 12a carrying one set of the disks 1| to the end loop 13. The member 14 swings from the framing 63 as doesthe other digits to and fro for cooperation, the thumb digit opposite the middle of the other members 1|.

As shown in Figs. 12 and 13 the digits on the nger and thumb loops may have a glove covering them. y

Operatz'on.-The finger and thumb digits are normally spread to open position due to the tension of the spring 22 on the return part ila of the cord To close these members shown at 1| and 14 in Fig, 1, the wearer manually swings the pendulum device by means of the flngerhold 4-4a toward the artificial armto shlftthe cord i0 with its connecting strap I3 and cord i i to rock the wedge-pulley i9, and the cord return part ||a reeved around the pulley I8 tensions thespring 22. The wedge pulley in rocking by means of its inclined ends contacting with the like inclined faces 66a of the arms t6 and 12, causes the digits Il and 'i4 to come together into end contact as shown in Fig. 1, where also they may grasp between them an object to be held. The arm membersv 4| may be swung forward or back by muscular action of the arm stump when desired, and when swung forwardly the strap 49a is placed under tension to rock the pulley 21 and at the same time by the connection 5| to the lower arm member 40 to flex the lower arm member upwardly, when as indicated in Fig. '7, the wearer may actuate the rockable pin 43a to a position permitting the pin to react from the tensioned spring 46a to enter an aperture ila in the upper arm member 4| to hold the lower arm member in an adjusted laterally rocked position. When the pendulum member 2 is released, the tensioned spring 22 relaxes and shifts the cord parts la and 11 to rock the wedge pulley I9 back, the spring 22 also acting on the digits 'il and 14 to swing them apart to opened position, the pendulum 2 returning to its first posi- The opposite spring arms 39 as before stated, during any of these adjustments remain inert except when the load carried by the grasping members act under torsion through the wrist relatively movable members in turning as in shifting the load. It will be understood that the pendulum may be adjusted either vertically or laterally relative to the guard i. v

Iclaim:v

1. In an articial arm having upper and lower memberathe lower part of the upper member having a plurality of pin-holes therearound, a swivel connection between said arm members rockable on the upper member with the lower member hingedly connected tothe swivel, a pin rockably mounted on the swivel and also longitudinally movable thereon to enter and interlock withany of said pin-holes releasably, and resilient means connected between thepln and swivel,

adapted to releasably lock the pin in a pin-hole .of the upper member when the pin is rocked in one direction, andto be releasably-held out of engagement with any pin-hole when the pin is withdrawn therefrom and rocked in an opposite direction.

2. In combination, an artificial arm composed of movably connected upper and lower members a sheave rotatably mounted upon the upper member and seated within the upper part of the lower member, flexible connections secured to opposite upper parts at front and rear of the lower member, carried thence oppositely around the sheave and along front and rear parts of said members and mounted and secured upon front and rear parts of the body of the wearer, and resilient means connected between the adjacent end parts of said members, whereby the swinging of an arm stump on which the upper member is vmounted will swing said lower member relatively to the upper member ineither a forward or rearward direction.

` 3. In combination, an articial arm having a movable terminal pair of hingedly connected grasping members mounted thereon, a pendulum swingingly mountable upon a part of a body opposite said arm, means for releasably securing the pendulum in a desired position of swinging adjustment upon the body, and a pair of exible connections end-connected to opposite sides oi the pendulum and carried about the body and united, with operating devices connected between the said connections and grasping members operable to either spread apart or bring together the members when the pendulum is appropriately adjustably swung in either of opposite directions upon the body.

4. In combination, an artificial arm having a nected, and operating devices connected to said connected connections exibly and reslliently controlled, including means for swinging said grasping members to and from each other.

5. In combination, an articial arm, a hollow frame with side apertures and having a stem device rockably and hingedly mounted on the outer end of said arm, a headed pintle traversing the apertures of said frame to project therefrom and a wedge-shaped pulley mounted in the hollow of the frame on said pintle, a pair of like transversely apertured stems seated loosely rockably on said pintle and having beveled inner faces movably contacting with the wedge faces of said pulley, spaced grasping devices mounted upon the outer terminations of said stems, a manually operable cable loosely traversing the stem of said frame, carried around the pulley, secured thereto and with its end part directed oppositely, and resiliently controlled in the same direction with its outer end secured to said arm, whereby when said cable is tensed in one direction the pulley is rocked to spread apart the grasping devices, and when the cable is released the pulley is reversely rocked to come to a grasping association with any interposed body.

6. In combination in an artificial arm, oppositely swingable stems mounted terminally thereon for releasably grasping an included body between them or releasing it, one stem having a cross-head, a plurality of like grasping fingers removably secured in juxtaposition along the cross-head, projecting outwardly relatively to the arm longitudinally, said ngers being terminally curved to one side and consisting each of wire loops whose terminations opposite the loops are detachably secured to the cross-head; the other stem having an outwardly directed straight single wire loop positioned medially opposite the plurality of wire loops on the,flrst stem, a plurality of like yieldable packing disks each having a spaced pair of holes therethrough and mounted with the wire loop members traversing the holes with the disks in juxtaposition and end-locked on each loop and at the inner ends of the wires with said stems, and means for respectively resiliently swinging said stems to grasping or non-grasping positions.

ARTHUR F. CARMACK. 

